scholarly journals Evaluation of the Fun FRIENDS program with a sample of Mexican children

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Julia Gallegos-Guajardo ◽  
Norma A. Ruvalcalba-Romero ◽  
Ania Chávez-Amavizca ◽  
Paula Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Intervention Program ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Separation Anxiety ◽  
First Grade ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Mexican Children ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Children’S Anxiety Symptoms

Introduction: Anxiety symptoms in young children can have negative consequences such as the deterioration of family and interpersonal functioning, and may lead to the development of an anxiety disorder; therefore, the importance of prevention. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Fun FRIENDS program in the reduction of children’s anxiety symptoms and the promotion of emotional and behavioral competences as a protective factor in a sample of Mexican children. Methodology: The participants included 49 children from the first grade at elementary school along with their teachers. The program was implemented by teachers as twelve consecutive one-week sessions conducted in the classroom. The outcome was measured with a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. Measures included the Preschool Anxiety Scale (PAS), for parents, Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (BERS-2), for parents, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), for parents and teachers. Results: Findings showed a decrease in the subscale of separation anxiety of the PAS, an increase in the interpersonal, intrapersonal and affective strengths subscales of the BERS-2, and an increase in prosocial behavior as measured by the SDQ. Conclusions: Results indicate promise for the effectiveness of the Fun FRIENDS program as an early intervention program based on the promotion of resilience for Mexican children.

A research on anxiety disorder prevalence and severity among vestibuler migraine and migraine patients

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S324-S324
Author(s):  
Ö. Kutay Yüksel ◽  
G. Akdal ◽  
T. Alkın ◽  
B. Dönmez Balcı
Keyword(s):  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Separation Anxiety ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
History Of ◽  
State Worry

In this research, anxiety, depression symptoms and severity were compared between healthy controls (HC), vestibuler migraine (VM) and migraine patients without history of vertigo (MO).MethodThirty-five definite vestibuler migraine patients (according to Neuhauser criteria), 35 MO patients and 32 healthy controls were included. All patients were evaluated for their lifetime psychiatric disorders with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM–IV/Clinical version (SCID-I/CV). All three groups evaluated by:– Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS);– State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), (STAI-X1) and the other trait anxiety STAI-X2);– Beck depression inventory (BDI);– Lifetime Panic Agoraphobic Spectrum Scale (PAS-SR);– Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PENN);– Separation Anxiety Symptoms Inventory (SASI);– Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (ASA).Psychiatric diagnosis history (SCID-I); comparison of VM and MO did not indicate a significant difference (P < 0.05). VM and MO patients were significantly different than HC in terms of anxiety symptoms in “HAM-A, PENN, ASA, PAS-SR and PAS-SR subscales (P < 0.05)”. VM was significantly different than MO patients in BDE and PAS-SR (overall; separation anxiety, agoraphobia, reassurance seeking) (P < 0.05). The longer the history of migraine the higher was the anxiety points in both in VM and MO patients (P < 0.05). Headache and vertigo severity in VM patients were significantly correlated with the elevated anxiety and depression points (P < 0.05).ConclusionVM and MO patients significantly different in anxiety and mood disorder when compared with healthy controls. Our findings showed that VM patients were more vulnerable to psychiatric disorders. For that reason, multidisciplinary approach for the treatment of VM may facilitate the treatment process.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Writing group program reduces academic procrastination: a quasi-experimental study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhina Patria ◽  
Latifatul Laili
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Training Session ◽  
Internal Validity ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Academic Procrastination ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Group Program ◽  
Writing Group ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Abstract Background Procrastination is a common problem in higher education. It leads to negative consequences on students’ health and academic achievement. Nevertheless, research concerning interventions has not yet produced consistent results. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a writing group program on reducing academic procrastination. Methods This study was a quasi-experimental study with a one-group pretest-posttest design using double pretests. A double pretest design was used to ensure the internal validity of the experiment. Twenty graduate students followed a 15-days writing group program consisted of a training session and four sessions of writing groups. A thesis procrastination scale was used to measure the intervention’s effects. Results The writing group program helped students to set a writing target, discussed writing progress, and provided social support to their colleagues. The results showed that the intervention program could significantly decrease academic procrastination. Conclusion The present study demonstrated that a writing group could potentially reduce academic procrastination. Thus, students could benefit from a writing group when working on their master thesis. A thesis preparation course that provides information about goal-setting strategy and the principles of effective writing habits (i.e., behavioral, artisanal, social and emotional habits), might also assist students in writing their thesis. Further research is needed, preferably through the provision of a control group, a randomized assignment and a larger sample.

Exploring the Effectiveness of the FRIENDS Program in Reducing Anxiety Symptoms Among South African Children

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jemona Mostert ◽  
Helene Loxton
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Socioeconomic Background ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Control Group Design ◽  
African Children ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Group Effects ◽  
South African Children

AbstractThe prevalence of anxiety symptoms among South African children is reported to be significantly higher than in other parts of the world. The need for an effective anxiety prevention and early intervention program for use with South African children is urgently needed. The aim of the present study was therefore to determine whether the Australian FRIENDS program could effectively reduce the anxiety symptoms, as measured by the Spence Children's Anxiety scale (SCAS), among a sample of South African children from low socioeconomic background. The program evaluation employed a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group design that followed participants (N = 46) over a course of 10 months. Within group effects and between group effects revealed that the FRIENDS program had little statistically significant postintervention effect on the anxiety symptoms of this sample, but had significant effects in the longer term, at 4 months and 6 months follow-up. The implications of these results for the South African context are discussed.

The Dual Use of Religious-Faith in Intimate Partner Abuse Perpetration: Perspectives of Latino Men in a Parish-based Intervention Program

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 71-95
Author(s):  
Maxine Davis ◽  
Melissa Jonson-Reid
Keyword(s):  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Partner Abuse ◽  
Religious Faith ◽  
Gain Control ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Latino Men ◽  
Spiritual Abuse ◽  
The Relationship

Little is known about the role that religious-faith plays in the lives of men who have acted abusively against an intimate partner. Studies report mixed findings about the relationship between religious-faith and intimate partner violence/abuse (IPV/A) perpetration. This study explored the perceptions of Latino men involved in a parish-based partner abuse intervention program (PAIP). Two focus groups were conducted with members of the PAIP (N=18). Two major themes emerged. Participants reported using religious-faith as a mechanism for ending violence. However, participants also reported past misuse of religion in order to gain control over intimate partners. These apparently conflicting roles of religion were further elucidated in several sub-themes. Religious-faith is complex. This study offers insight into how faith may serve as both a risk and protective factor for IPV/A perpetration. Implications for how intervention programs may address participants’ religious-faith during treatment and how religio-spiritual abuse is measured are discussed.

scholarly journals Perinatal Anxiety Symptoms: Rates and Risk Factors in Mexican Women

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Janeth Juarez Padilla ◽  
Sandraluz Lara-Cinisomo ◽  
Laura Navarrete ◽  
Ma. Asunción Lara
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Mexican Women ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Postpartum Anxiety ◽  
Perinatal Anxiety ◽  
Relevant Risk Factor ◽  
In Pregnancy

Anxiety during pregnancy and after childbirth can have negative consequences for a woman and her baby. Despite growing interest in the perinatal mental health of Mexican women living in the U.S., perinatal anxiety symptom (PAS) rates and risk factors have yet to be established for women in Mexico. We sought to determine PAS rates and identify risk factors, including the traditional female role (TFR) in a sample of Mexican women. This secondary data analysis is based on 234 Mexican women who participated in a longitudinal study on perinatal depression in Mexico. Anxiety symptoms were assessed in pregnancy and at six weeks postpartum. Rates were determined through frequencies, and multiple logistics regressions were conducted to identify risk factors in the sample. The PAS rate was 21% in pregnancy and 18% postpartum. Stressful life events and depressive symptoms were associated with a higher probability of PAS. Adherence to TFR increased the probability of prenatal anxiety; lower educational attainment and low social support during pregnancy increased the probability of postpartum anxiety. The PAS rates were within the range reported in the literature. The TFR was only associated with anxiety in gestation, highlighting the role of this culturally relevant risk factor. Culturally responsive early interventions are therefore required.

scholarly journals Geology and Environment: A Problem-Based Learning Study in Higher Education

Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 173
Author(s):  
Tânia Pinto ◽  
António Guerner Dias ◽  
Clara Vasconcelos
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Within Subjects ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Experimental Group

We aimed to contribute to a shift in higher education teaching and learning methods by considering problem-based learning (PBL) as an approach capable of positively affecting students from a geology and environment (GE) curricular unit. In a convenience sample from a Portuguese public university, two groups of students were defined: (1) an experimental group (n = 16), to which an intervention program (IP) based on PBL was applied, and (2) a comparison group (n = 17), subjected to the traditional teaching approach. For nine weeks, students subject to the IP faced four problem scenarios about different themes. A triangulation of methods was chosen. The study involved two phases: (1) qualitative (sustained on content analysis of driving questions raised by students, registered in a monitoring sheet) and (2) quantitative (quasi-experimental study, based on data from a prior and post-test knowledge assessment). The qualitative results point to the development of more complex cognitive-level questioning skills after increasing familiarity with PBL. The data obtained in the quantitative study, which included both a “within-subjects” and a “between-subjects” design, show higher benefits in the experimental group, documenting gains in terms of scientific knowledge when using the PBL methodology.

scholarly journals Treatment of bipolar depression with supraphysiologic doses of levothyroxine: a randomized, placebo-controlled study of comorbid anxiety symptoms

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian Pilhatsch ◽  
Thomas J Stamm ◽  
Petra Stahl ◽  
Ute Lewitzka ◽  
Anne Berghöfer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Bipolar Depression ◽  
Phenotypic Expression ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Comorbid Anxiety ◽  
Depressed Patients ◽  
Depressive Episodes

Abstract Background Symptoms of anxiety co-occur in a variety of disorders including in depressive episodes of bipolar disorder and in patients with thyrotoxicosis. Treatment of refractory bipolar disorder with supraphysiologic doses of levothyroxine (L-T4) has been shown to improve the phenotypic expression of the disorder and is associated with an increase of circulating thyroid hormones. However, it might be associated with somatic and mental adverse effects. Here we report the investigation of the influence of treatment with supraphysiologic doses of L-T4 on symptoms of anxiety in patients with refractory bipolar depression. Methods Post-hoc analysis from a 6-week, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of supraphysiologic L-T4 treatment on anxiety symptoms in bipolar depression. Anxiety symptoms were measured weekly with the Hamilton anxiety/somatization factor (HASF) score of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and the State- and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Results Treatment of both groups was associated with a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms (p < 0.001) with no statistical difference between groups (LT-4: from 5.9 (SD = 2.0) at baseline to 3.7 (SD = 2.4) at study end; placebo: from 6.1 (SD = 2.4) at baseline to 4.4 (SD = 2.8) at study end; p = 0.717). Severity of anxiety at baseline did not show a statistically significant correlation to the antidepressive effect of treatment with supraphysiologic doses of L-T4 (p = 0.811). Gender did not show an influence on the reduction of anxiety symptoms (females: from 5.6 (SD = 1.7) at baseline to 3.5 (SD = 2.4) at study end; males: from 6.1 (SD = 2.3) at baseline to 4.0 (SD = 2.4) at study end; p = 0.877). Conclusions This study failed to detect a difference in change of anxiety between bipolar depressed patients treated with supraphysiologic doses of L-T4 or placebo. Comorbid anxiety symptoms should not be considered a limitation for the administration of supraphysiologic doses of L-T4 refractory bipolar depressed patients. Trial registration ClinicalTrials, ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01528839. Registered 2 June 2012—Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT01528839

scholarly journals Adolescent impulsiveness and use of alcohol and tobacco

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-382
Author(s):  
Mª del Carmen Pérez-Fuentes ◽  
José J. Gázquez ◽  
Mª del Mar Molero ◽  
Fernando Cardila ◽  
África Martos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Detailed Analysis ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
The State ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
The Relationship

Adolescence is characterized by premature experimentation with new experiences and sensations. These experiences sometimes include drugs, which even though legal and socially accepted, begin to have noticeable negative consequences to the adolescent’s development. In recent years, a decrease in use of tobacco by Spanish adolescents has been observed, but not in alcohol. One of the causes of initiation in drug use is impulsive personality or behavior. Thus the purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between impulsiveness and frequency of use of alcohol and tobacco in 822 students aged 13 to 18 years of age. The State Impulsivity Scale (SIS) and an ad hoc questionnaire on demographic characteristics and use of alcohol and tobacco were used for this. The results showed that students who stated they were users scored significantly higher on impulsivity. Thus detailed analysis of the profile of individuals with this risk factor could favor more adequate intervention program design.

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